Santa Rosa, California is a first- class craft beer city and among the many breweries that call this area home, the best known and most beloved is arguably Russian River. In February each year, craft beer fans swarm the city with the hope of getting their lips around the brewery’s famed Pliny the Younger. Craft beer fans are known to wait in line for hours to get their hands on this beer and I, in fact, was one of those determined fans when I visited here in early 2018.
This year, one important change is being made to the annual Pliny the Younger release and it’s a change that is going to make craft beer fans ecstatic. Russian River, for the first time ever, is going to release Pliny the Younger in bottles! Fans who show up at the Santa Rosa location or the Windsor location will be able to purchase up to two bottles, while supplies last.
Many fans might be surprised to learn that Pliny the Younger will be 16 years old come February 2020. This fact took me by surprise. I knew it had been around for more years than the average craft beer, but I would not have guessed 16 years. Pliny the Younger is a Triple IPA and is a ramped-up version of Russian River’s other Pliny brew, Pliny the Elder, a Double IPA. Pliny the Elder has been around even longer and is easier to track down, since it has been bottled for quite some time.
Pliny the Younger’s transition to glass bottles is going to be great for those who want to take the beer home with them for later consumption. But craft beer fans need to keep in mind that, while the beer is being bottled, it is not going to be sold in stores. You will still have to visit one of the two Russian River Brewing locations if you want to get Pliny the Younger in bottled form. It will be available from February 7 through February 20, 2020 while supplies last and those who wish to buy it will need to redeem a special tab from their wristband, which everyone receives at the door during the special release period.
Pliny the Younger is a classic and highly sought – out beer. It is certainly cool that Russian River has decided to bottle the beer. I doubt I will be able to make it to Santa Rosa this year for the annual release but the fact that it is now packaged in bottles means I could get my hands on a serving or two via a bottle share or something similar. I will keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best. In the meantime, if you live nearby, be sure to make your way to Santa Rosa this coming February for this scrumptious brew!
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